AFL news: Team latest and preview for Geelong v Port Adelaide

One of their most important players has been named after a health scare, but two stars will not feature for the Power’s senior side this weekend.

Port Adelaide will welcome back captain Tom Jonas and Trent Dumont for the tough trip to Geelong but give Charlie Dixon at least one more week in the SANFL.

Jonas and Dumont have emerged from Covid protocols for Saturday’s game after being sidelined for the Power’s win over North Melbourne in Hobart last weekend.

Dixon underwent ankle surgery in April and was yet to feature at AFL level this season.

The 31-year-old spearhead made his comeback via the SANFL a fortnight ago and did not play on the weekend due to the state league bye.

Hinkley said how Dixon moved and recovered, rather than his statistics, would determine when he returned to AFL level.

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Tom Jonas will return against Geelong.

“Charlie hasn’t been as smooth as we’d like on his recovery ... he’s building a little bit more,” Hinkley said.

“He trained really well Tuesday and he’s optimistic around the way he feels.

“We think we’re getting really, really close to when he’s ready to go.

“We just need to be a little bit patient.”

Small forward Orazio Fantasia will join Dixon in Port Adelaide Magpies’ tribute game to club legend Russell Ebert against West Adelaide in Loxton on Sunday.

Fantasia was the unused medical substitute last week in his return from off-season knee surgery.

On Thursday morning, Hinkley hinted the former Bomber would fill the role again, saying he would “certainly be in the 23”, but the club ultimately decided to play him in the SANFL to ensure he received game time.

Star Travis Boak was named – and expected to play – despite missing training with hayfever-like symptoms.

The club told Boak, who tested negative for Covid, to stay home on Thursday as a precaution.

Speedster Martin Frederick and wingman Xavier Duursma were omitted.

Travis Boak has been told to stay away from the main group due to hay fever-like symptoms.

Port Adelaide has bounced back from a 0-5 start to win four consecutive games.

It has not played in Geelong since a two-point loss there in 2017, a game remembered for Dixon being called to play on after taking 30 seconds on his set shot late in the last quarter.

The Power’s most recent win at the ground was in 2007, when Dom Cassisi snapped a matchwinning goal in the dying stages.

“Dom was in the club during the week and it makes me remember it because he told me about it,” Hinkley said.

Hinkley said Geelong’s home ground was a little narrower than most but otherwise not that different.

“Everyone understands the unique challenge of Geelong at Geelong,” he said.

“They’ve been a fantastic team for it almost feels like forever.”

On Saturday, the Power will wear a guernsey designed by second-year defender Lachie Jones and his aunt, Madeliene Dirdi, for the Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round.

Jones has spoken to the team this week about the meaning of the jumper, which in the centre has a brolga – the totem of the Yanyuwa people of his grandmother’s country at Borroloola.

“Indigenous Round is an amazing part of our season and one of the rounds I love the most,” said Hinkley, who was wearing a hoodie bearing Jones’s design.

“As a footy club, we hope and think we do it pretty well and are strong in that space.

“We’re getting better as a society and we’ve still got a long way to go.”

Charlie Dixon will not be rushed back into the senior team.

Strong hint on Power’s Dixon plan ahead of blockbuster

Charlie Dixon is likely to play in the SANFL again this weekend with Port Adelaide set to resist bringing back its spearhead for its trip to Geelong.

Dixon started off Tuesday’s training session on the sidelines with key defender Trent McKenzie — who is still three to five weeks away — as the main group warmed up.

The 31-year-old quickly joined in with the main group at Alberton and was moving well.

But the Power are likely to give Dixon another week at SANFL level as he comes back from two surgeries on his ankle in 2022.

Port’s SANFL side plays West Adelaide in Loxton on Sunday.

Dixon wasn’t able to get a game last week with the SANFL having a bye because of the state game.

He did make his return against Woodville-West Torrens, but did say his ankle felt “proppy”.

Charlie Dixon at Port Adelaide training. Picture Dean Martin

Port Adelaide coaches have said they won’t take any chances with Dixon, and will wait until he is 100 per cent fit before bringing him back to the senior side.

Orazio Fantasia also trained in full as he looks for his first game of 2022 after knee surgery in the off-season.

Fantasia was considered ahead of Dixon in fitness and was the medical sub for the Power in their comfortable win over North Melbourne in Hobart.

But he wasn’t called upon against the Roos.

McKenzie did some running as he recovers from knee surgery.

No. 12 draft pick Josh Sinn is not running for two weeks as he seeks to get on top of persistent groin soreness.

Trent Dumont is out of Covid-19 protocols while captain Tom Jonas will have a limited window to prove his fitness for the huge clash when he leaves isolation later this week.

Riley Bonner will start running again this week and is two to three weeks away from returning.